Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Oakhill Surgery on 19 October 2016. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

• There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
• Risks to patients were assessed and well managed.
• Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
• Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
• Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
• Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
• The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
• There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
• The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.
• People’s emotional and social needs were seen as important as their physical needs. The practice had a carers champion, a domestic violence champion and a member of the reception team was planning to become a health connector champion.
• The GP patient survey results and feedback from patients suggested that people were respected and treated as individuals.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

• Ensure that all medicines fridges’ temperature are checked and recorded daily. Records should include actual, minimum and maximum temperatures.

• To monitor and record that all identified actions are completed in response to significant events.

• Ensure that patients have an appointment booked with secondary care services when referred under the 2 week appointment process.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice